Call for screening for primary aldosteronism: an underdiagnosed and treatable disease

Recent studies have raised the important issue of prevalence and underdiagnosed of primary aldosteronism (PA) in primary care setting. The crucial role of a correct diagnosis of PA is demonstrated by current studies that aldosterone over-secretion is not only resulted in cardiovascular and renal damage (1,2) but also associated with adverse metabolic complication, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis (3-5). Monticone et al. had addressed the issue that PA is a frequent cause of secondary hypertension even in the general hypertensive population and indicates that the majority of hypertensive patients should be screened for PA (6).